In Passing

The year is speeding by, and seems to gain momentum with each passing day.  Sadly, time has brought unrequested changes.

My sister, Charma Lee, passed away on September 7th, in her 77th year.  She had been in failing health over the past few years, and so had spent most of her time in an area nursing home.  She was visited there by family and friends...sometimes she recognized them; sometimes she did not.  When I journeyed to Ohio to spend some time in 2009, I had the opportunity to visit with her on three different occasions.  On the first visit, she recognized me only after I softly called her name.  Her face lit up with a beautiful smile, and she reached out her arms to embrace me.  We chatted for a long time, until I saw that she was tiring.  I left that day, but returned to see her again just a few days later.  This time, she did not recognize me as we sat side by side and quietly talked about anything she brought to mind.  On the third occasion, she knew who I was, and gently held my hand as she tried to fight off sleep.  Shortly, however, she drifted off.  I kissed her goodbye, and made my journey out of the nursing home, and back across America.  I never saw her or spoke to her again.

I have a few photos of her which I take out occasionally.  I was always excited when her boyfriend, Lee Forrest, riding his big motorcycle, came to call on her.  I was just a little kid when she left home in 1951 to marry Lee.  Over the next several years, as Lee's construction work took them to other places in Ohio, I had the chance to spend time with them.  I attentively listened to Lee's stories of service in the Navy during World War II.  I vividly remember their small "house trailer" and the fun we had during the summer months in far-distant Waverly, Ohio.  I remember their shiny, new 1953 Chevrolet stationwagon, and the daughters - six girls eventually - they brought home to visit in North Lewisburg over the years. 

In later years, Charma and Lee divorced.  Charma married Edward "Cy" Wolford in 1971.  Three years later, Cy, Charma, and a motor home filled with their family made a trip across America.  They visited with my wife, son Chip, and me in Utah.  It was a pleasant, fun-filled time for all of us.

As she grew older, Charma reminded me so much of our mother.  There was a structure in her face, and an attitude which she projected that so often mirrored Mom. 

She accompanied Mom in 1976 on a trip to visit my family and me when I was assigned to Army duty in Hawaii.  It was the first trip to Hawaii for both of them.  I have several pictures of all of us as we gathered near the gravesite of my father at the National Cemetery of the Pacific, in Honolulu. 

Miles and time kept us apart over the years which followed.  Yet, I always had a warm spot in my heart for my sister Charma.   Unfortunately, and to my deep sorrow, I was too ill to make the journey back to Ohio in September for her funeral service.   Someday, however, I'll travel again to Ohio, and make a special visit at her gravesite.



Independence Day - July 4th

Whenever I think of Independence Day, my mind automatically conjures up images of Independence Hall, the signers of the Declaration of Independence who labored there in that hot, muggy summer of 1776, the Liberty Bell, fireworks, the Revolutionary War, and Mendell E. Beattie, long-time Principal of Triad High School.  What has Mendell E. Beattie to do with independence, you may well ask?  If you were one of his students at one time or another you would be able to answer the question without my input.  For those of you who never had the privilege of experiencing Mendell E. Beattie in the classroom, pay apt attention.

In addition to his many other duties as Principal, Mr. Beattie was the American government teacher for Triad High School students.  He took great pride in being an American, and encouraged his students to emulate his patriotism and love of country.  He wanted his students to be grateful for the liberties and freedoms which they had inherited because of the dedication and sacrifices of others.  To this end, he was a real task master.

Mr. Beattie not only talked about liberty, freedom and independence.  He knew it by heart because he had made it his life's effort to do so.  He could recite many of the famous quotes as expressed by our Founding Fathers.  The words of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe were all securely locked away in the folds of Mr. Beattie's brain, ready to spring forth at any given moment when the occasion called for them.  He could recite long passages of the writings of Thomas Paine, and put tremendous feeling and meaning into them as he stood before his students.  He could evoke all of the imagery and emotions associated with the battlefield as he recited Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address."  He could give a stirring rendition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself" speech.

And, Mr. Beattie expected his students to be just as capable of knowing and understanding the words which were important to our nation's history.

Students looked forward to Mr. Beattie's class in American government with trepidation.  They heard the horror stories of all of the memorization and recitations which he required of his students.  They were ever hopeful that someone would come along to replace Mr. Beattie before the government class was a part of their Senior year routine.  Hundreds of students held out hope; hundreds of students were eventually disappointed.

In addition to all of the material he presented in his class lectures and discussions...in addition to all of the reading assignments which he made...in addition to all of the who, what, where, why and how questions which made up his periodic exams...there constantly loomed the memorization and recitation requirements.

At one time or another, every student was required to learn and recite before his/her classroom peers:

• The Magna Carta
• The Mayflower Compact
• The Declaration of Independence
• The Preamble to the United States Constitution
• The Gettysburg Address
• and other such items of historical significance which he deemed necessary for the well-educated Triad High School graduate.

Each student labored long and hard to master the unfamiliar language of these documents, and then stood all alone at the front of the classroom for those few moments of trial and tribulation.  The process was as sure as night and day, year after year.

It's been 48 years since I studied the Declaration of Independence and committed it to memory.  It's been 48 years since I stood at the front of that gray-walled American government classroom and recited the stirring words of the Declaration of Independence. It's been 48 years since that day in 1963, and I have passed from a tow-headed teenager to a gray-haired old man.  Still today...because Mr. Beattie demanded it as a meaningful exercise in Americanism so many years ago...I can open my mouth and give voice to the words which are forever etched in my memory - "When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.  We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness..."

It's not a parlor trick...although it is something with which I have often amazed my friends, my children and my grandchildren.  I imagine that there are other men and women throughout the country - all former students of Mr. Beattie - who can do likewise.   It's merely the end result of a masterful teacher's way of promoting life-long learning and a deep and abiding love of country.

Thank you, Mr. Beattie.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

It's been a couple of months since I last posted to this blog.  I hope my faithful readers have not been too disappointed.  I've been researching information so I can continue to keep the blogspot fresh and interesting.

I'll be adding new material to "Along Spain Creek" during the week of July 10 - 16th, so I hope you will make it a point to check back again.

In the meantime, please visit my Website at http://www.ralphlowellcolemanjr.com/ and note the changes which have been made to it.  I've now posted 20 of my original poems.  You can download any of them, free of charge.  Hopefully, the new donation concept will encourage you to become a visitor, a friend, or a patron so I can keep this site in operation.  Although I've had 3,500 visitors to the site since it was first posted, up to this point it has not generated one penny in revenue.  So, the costs associated with it have been all "out of pocket."  To keep it up and running, I solicit your support.

It's Not Just Another Day

Saturday, May 7, 2011 - It's not just another day on the calendar...at least not for me.  It was 66 years ago, on May 7, 1945, that my father, Private First Class Ralph Lowell Coleman, thirty-two years of age, died in Tripler General Hospital (as it was known at the time), near Honolulu, Hawaii, of wounds received in action in the Pacific Area during World War II.  It was several days before the "official" telegram from the War Department was delivered to my mother.  In the meantime, a letter, dated May 14, 1945,  was delivered to her from the Army chaplain who was present when Dad died.

"It is indeed with regret that I must write to you of the death of your husband, PFC Ralph Coleman, 35297946.  He passed away at 3:46 PM on the 7th day of May, 1945, at Tripler General Hospital, APO 95, San Francisco, California.

"The cause of death was (1) wound, penetrating, severe, left temporal, parietal, lobe of brain, with inflammation; (2) meningitis, basilar, acute; (3) fracture of the skull, multiple, compound, with defect, left temporal parietal.

"He was laid to rest in the Post Cemetery, Schofield Barracks, Oahu, T.H., on the 12th day of May, 1945.  The cemetery is a very beautiful one and is well cared for by the Army.  The flag was at half-mast during the burial ceremony.

"The funeral was conducted by Chaplain Henry C. Pennington.  His text was taken from Revelation 14:13, 'And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.'  He read, too, St. Luke's Gospel, Chapter 7, verses 11-16.  Two songs were sung:  The Twenty-Third Psalm, and Now The Laborer's Task Is O'er.  The organ was played during the entire service.

"Six sprays of flowers were given by friends and by the Grey Ladies of the American Red Cross.  The pall-bearers were friends of the Armed Forces.   May I assure you that the entire ceremony was carried out in a most dignified and reverent manner.

"Chaplain Pennington, at the grave-side, read the committal prayer after which the firing squad fired eighteen rounds.  'Taps' were then sounded and your husband's body was laid to rest.

"Mrs. Coleman, I prayed with your husband several times during his illness at our hospital.  All that human hands could do was done to save his life, but since death was inevitable, I am sure you will be comforted in knowing that he was cared for in such a manner.  I stayed by his side and prayed silently as he departed.  He went away peacefully.

"Hawaii's skies were blue during your husband's burial service.  Even the birds were singing in the nearby trees.  The land of his soul is now cloudless and clear.  His last battle is over.

"May the love of God fill the vacant place in your heart, is my sincere prayer for you, at this time.

"Sincerely,

James M. Becker, Major, Chaplain, USA"

On May 25th, Dad's name appeared in the Urbana Daily Citizen (Urbana, Ohio) for the last time.  The headline across the very top of the page proclaimed "County Soldier Dies of War Wounds...PFC Ralph Coleman Is Victim."  The accompanying article covered the full right side of the newspaper.

In the weeks to come, his personal effects were shipped home to Mom:  an old wallet he had carried for a long period of time which contained an Indian Head penny dated 1865, Mom's photo, and a wad of currency which had been issued by the Japanese during their occupation of the Philippine Islands.  There were letters which Mom had written to him, and other bits and pieces of their short married life together.

Mom replaced the Blue Star flag which had been displayed in the living room window with the Gold Star flag, indicating a soldier who had been killed in the war.  A poem from the time became one of her keepsakes:

"I looked out from my window, And in the sky afar, A tiny ship at anchor, There shone a Golden Star.  Tis a lamp set in his window, A light unto my feet, Both he and I are waiting Until we two shall meet.  My 'Star of Hope' so precious, I call this Golden Star.  It shineth in my sorrow, My loved one, lost in war."

(from "My Star of Hope," author unknown).

With Mom's permission, Dad's body was moved from the Old Post Cemetery at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and re interred on February 19, 1949, in the new National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, with full military honors.  He rests there today, in Plot O-480, among his comrades.

On September 18, 1976, in fulfillment of a promise I made to her in 1956, when I was eleven years old, Mom stood by that grave site for the first and only time in her life, accompanied by my wife, sons Ralph Lowell III ("Chip") and Jared, and me.  Just a few days later, on October 8, 1976, my son Tad Jeffrey Coleman, was born at Tripler Army Hospital, near Honolulu, the very hospital where Dad died in 1945.

So, Saturday, May 7, 2011, is not just another day for me.  It's special...and I will observe it in memory of my Dad. 

Boys In Blue From Woodstock, 1861-1865

This year marks the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, 1861-1865. Many battle reenactments, special events, presentations, displays, and other activities are planned during the next four years. In "Along Spain Creek" will be found, in weeks to come, special tributes to the men of the area who took up arms in defense of the Union.

Boys In Blue From Woodstock

Long before the opening shots of the Civil War were fired upon the United States Fort Sumter, South Carolina, rumors of pending war had spread across the land. Heated arguments for and against dissolution of the Republic were heard in the North, South, East and West. Newspaper editorials screamed for war at all costs. Representatives and Senators in the U.S. Congress shouted in support of the Union, or for its destruction. Great were the threats.

In many states, calls went out for volunteers to enlist in militias to be prepared to defend the homeland. Even in the North, in places like Ohio, the fiery rhetoric and strong emotions had compelled patriotic men to enlist for the cause.

Woodstock, a tiny hamlet in Rush Township, Champaign County, was home primarily to farmers...men, women and children who worked the soil, planted and harvested crops, and tended livestock. But these were also Americans...Unionists...who believed it was necessary to protect the nation and to defend the integrity of the Constitution. They answered the call to enlist - in small numbers at first, but in ever increasing numbers as the nation was torn asunder during the years of conflict. They were young and old, farmers and farm hands, carpenters, clerks, harness makers, blacksmiths, even doctors. They were of English, Irish, Scottish, German, Dutch, and other heritages. They were Protestant and Catholic. They were patriots who chose to wear the Union blue. And for four long years they fought to preserve the Union. Here are some of their stories.

Lucas Burnham (1836-1863) enlisted on August 8, 1862, at the age of 26. He was a private in Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded in battle, and died on July 22, 1863 in a field hospital at Walnut Hills, Mississippi. He is buried in the old section of Woodstock Cemetery, Row 30, Grave 3.

Philo Burnham (1823-1903) enlisted on May 2, 1864, as a Captain in Company D, 134th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served for ninety days, and was mustered out on August 31, 1864. He is buried in the old section, Row 11, Grave 2.

David H. Chatfield (1833-1869) was a carpenter prior to his enlistment as a private in 113th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served in both Company E, and Company H. He mustered out of service at the rank of lieutenant. He is buried in the old section, Row 43, Grave 18.

George W. Clark enlisted at age 28 as a private, Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on August 4, 1862. He was wounded at the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, on August 30, 1862. He was transferred to the Veterans Reserve Corps on December 17, 1863. He mustered out as a sergeant on July 1, 1865. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 18, Grave 18.

Oliver P. Colwell, (1832-1872) a farmer, enlisted as a 2nd lieutenant with Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in Columbus, Ohio. He was later promoted to 1st lieutenant. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery under fire at the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee, December 16, 1864. He mustered out as a Captain. He is buried in a prominently-marked grave site in the old section of the cemetery.

Edwin S. Crawford (1839-1862) enlisted as a private in Company F, 6th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He died in a Nashville, Tennessee, hospital. He is buried in the old section, Row 31, Grave 3.

William P. Crawford (1844-1862) enlisted at age 18 as a private on August 2, 1862, in Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded in the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, on August 30, 1862. He died of those wounds on September 5, 1862. A special memorial has been placed for him in the old section of the cemetery.

Charles A. Cushman (1840-1931) enlisted as a private in Company B, 2nd Ohio Cavalry, at the age of 28. He mustered out of service on February 16, 1865. He is buried in the old section, Row 21, Grave 3.

Warren S. Cushman (1845- ?) enlisted at age 19 as a private in Company D, 134th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served until August 31, 1864. He is buried in the old section, Row 23, Grave 4.

Zachary Taylor Darrow enlisted at age 19 as a private, Company A, 60th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served from April 14 - May 9 1864. He was discharged at Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia. He is buried in the old section, Row 27, Grave 5.

Harrison Davis (1832-1863) enlisted as a private in Company H, 66th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on October 2, 1862. He was 19 years of age. He was progressively promoted to corporal, then sergeant, then 2nd lieutenant, then 1st lieutenant. He was killed in action at the Battle of Ringold (Taylor's Ridge) on November 27, 1863. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 29, Grave 3.

Newton Ellsworth (1843-1869) enlisted at age 21 as a private, Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on August 8, 1862. He was transferred to the Veterans Reserve Corps on November 20, 1863. He mustered out at Cairo, Illinois, on July 13, 1865. He is buried in the old section, Row 40, Grave 11.

Orra Fairchilds (died in 1871) enlisted as a private, age 28, on December 22, 1861, with Company H, 66th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  He served through the end of the war, and was discharged as a First Sergeant on July 15, 1865.  He is buried in the old section, Row 40, Grave 23.

James L. Funk enlisted as a corporal, age 32, on Jun 9, 1864. He reenlisted on October 17, 1864. He was promoted to Sergeant on December 13, 1864. He mustered out of service at Salisbury, North Carolina, on July 17, 1865. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 38, Grave 15.

George H. Gifford (died in 1868) enlisted as a private on February 5, 1864. He reenlisted on May 6, 1864, and was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, on August 31, 1864. He is buried in the old section, Row 14, Grave 5.

James Gragg (1833-1891) enlisted as a private in Company A, 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on November 9, 1861. He was 26 years of age. He was mustered out due to disability on October 18, 1862. He is buried in the old section, Row 29, Grave 1.

Erastus Guy (1836-1917) enlisted at age 25 as a private, Company A, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, May 3 1861. His 90-day enlistment expired August 18, 1861. He is buried in the old section, Row 44, Grave 13.

Nicholas P. Hewitt (1832-1901) enlisted as a musician on October 23, 1861, at the age of 25. He was mustered out of service on July 5, 1862. He is buried in the old section, Row 15, Grave 12.

John G. Hoisington enlisted as a private in Company A, 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on September 1, 1861. He was discharged as a corporal on October 10, 1864. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 28, Grave 8.

Harvey A. Kimball (1827-1910) enlisted as a private, age 38, on February 5, 1864. He reenlisted on May 13, 1864. He was mustered out of service on September 8, 1864, at Camp Dennison, Ohio. He is buried in the old section, Row 35, Grave 22.

Samuel A. McAdow (1822-1904) enlisted in Company H, 18th U. S. Regular Infantry, as a sergeant. He is buried in the old section, Row 47, Grave 13.

John McCumber (1828-1865) Enlisted in Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 18, 1862. He was captured on June 10, 1864, at the Battle of Brice's Crossroads, Mississippi. He was held as a prisoner of war at the notorious Andersonville Prison. He died on April 2, 1865, shortly after being released and returned home. He is buried in the old section, Row 29, Grave 2.

James M. McMahill (1849-1883) enlisted at age 18 on February 4, 1864. He reenlisted on May 6, 1864. He was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, on August 31, 1864. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 37, Grave 7.

Eliphas Meacham (1842-1926) was 19 years of age when he enlisted in the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry on September 1, 1861. He was discharged for disability, but was determined to fight for the Union. He enlisted in Company D, 134th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served from May 6 - August 31, 1864. He mustered out as a private. He is buried in the old section, Row 9, Grave 2.

George Riddle (1845-1923) enlisted at age 18 in Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on August 8, 1862. He was wounded on August 30, 1862, at the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky. He was discharged with a Surgeon's Certificate of Disability on November 24, 1862, at Cincinnati, Ohio. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 15, Grave 3.

Daniel W. Smith (1844-1862) enlisted at age 18 as a private in Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was killed at the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, August 30, 1862. He is buried in the old section Row 30, Grave 2.

John W. Smith enlisted at age 18, Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on August 2, 1862. He served for three years and was mustered out on August 14, 1865. He is buried in the newer portion of the cemetery, Square 196, Lot 50, Grave 4.

George W. Standish (1839-1864) enlisted at age 23 in Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He received a Surgeon's Certificate for Disability on January 17, 1863, at Columbus, Ohio. He is buried in the old section, Row 32, Grave 7.

Thomas M. Owen (1836-1911) enlisted as a private, age 23, on April 17, 1861. He was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, on July 31, 1861.

John Overfield (1836-1911) enlisted as a private, age 25, on January 12, 1861, in Company H, 66th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He reenlisted on December 22, 1861, and remained in service until he was mustered out on July 15, 1865. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 14, Grave 19.

Minard L. Sessions (1842-1931) enlisted at the age of 19 as a private, January 9, 1861. He reenlisted on September 1, 1861. He mustered out of service on October 10, 1864. He is buried in the old section, Row 35, Grave 1.

Alvaro Smith (1839-1894) was 22 years of age when he enlisted as a private, April 17, 1861. He mustered out on July 31, 1861, in Columbus, Ohio. He is buried in the old section, Row 13, Grave 3.

Curtis D. Smith (1834-1865) enlisted as a private, age 28, on August 19, 1862, with Company F, 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He mustered out on May 29, 1865, at Knoxville, Tennessee. He is buried in the old section, Row 6, Grave 10.

Dexter P. Smith (1841-1916) enlisted as a private, age 20, on January 9, 1861. He reenlisted on September 1, 1861. He was promoted to corporal on February 1, 1863. He was mustered out of service on October 10, 1864. He is buried in the old section, Row 17, Grave 3.

Erastus M Smith (1842-1898) enlisted as a corporal on February 5, 1864. He reenlisted on May 6, 1864. He was mustered out of service on August 31, 1864, at Camp Chase, Ohio. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 8, Grave 9.

Philip A. Smith (1838-1881) enlisted as a musician, age 23, Company Band, 66th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, October 23, 1861. He was mustered out on July 5, 1862. He is buried in the old section, Row 4, Grave 13.

Stephen K. Smith (1822-1901) enlisted at the age of 40 as a private, Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on February 8, 1862. He was promoted to First Sergeant on December 8, 1862. He served through the end of the war, and was mustered out on August 14, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky. He is buried in the old section, Row 26, Grave 27.

Cyrenus Trowbridge enlisted as a private, Company K, 58th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He is buried in the old section, Row 32, Grave 20.

George Ellsworth (1846-1893) enlisted as a private, age 18, in the 134th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on February 5, 1864. He reenlisted in Company D, 134th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on May 6, 1864. He was mustered out of service on August 31, 1864, at Camp Chase, Ohio. He is buried in the old section of the cemetery, Row 40, Grave 12.

Enlistment lengths varied during the Civil War. Some men - and for that matter, entire units - enlisted for 30-, 60-, or 90-day periods in the initial stages of the war. Some men elected to go home after their initial enlistment periods. Others reenlisted as their enlistments ended. Still others determined to stay on until the war had run its course and the Union was saved. As time passed and the fight became more extensive and prolonged, enlistment periods were lengthened.

The information which appears above has been gleaned through extensive research from official Ohio and federal records of soldiers who served in the Civil War, grave stone inscriptions, obituaries, and other resources. The accuracy of that information is only as good as the original input; errors were often made.

Still being researched are the Civil War service records of the following men from Woodstock, Rush Township, Champaign County, Ohio, who are buried in Woodstock Cemetery:

Joseph Chamberlain (1834-1908), buried in the old section of Woodstock Cemetery, Row 42, Grave 22.
J. S. Foster, buried in the old section, Row 28, Grave 14.
Martin Malia, buried in the old section, Row 40, Grave 24.
Charles W. Marsh (1835-1869), buried in the old section, Row 12, Grave 18.
George S. Marsh, buried in the old section, Row 11, Grave 7.
Enoch McCarty, (1833-1907), buried in the newer section, Square 267, Lot 69.
Ralph Burnham (1831-1894), buried in the old section, Row 11, Grave 3.
F. King (1846-1909), buried in the old section, Row 2, Grave 13.
John Lapham, buried in the old section, Row 42, Grave 4.
Samuel Reiley, buried in the newer section, Square 343, Lot 889.
Cyrus Smith (1813-1890), buried in the old section, Row 13, Grave 2.
Hiram Smith (1814-1898), buried in the old section, Row 16, Grave 10.
S. Stevens, buried in the old section, Row 38, Grave 13.
J. R. Turner, buried in the old section, Row 24, Grave 3.
William Casey, (died in 1883), buried in the old section, Row 37, Grave 30.
William B. Kimball, buried in the old section Row 30, Grave 27.
George W. Hutchinson (1823-1911), buried in the old section, Row 6, Grave 13.

If anyone is aware of an additional name or names which should be added to the list of Civil War veterans who are buried in Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock, Ohio, please contact me!

An extensive database of Civil War Soldiers and Sailors can be found at Ancestry.com In cooperation with the National Park Service and the National Archives, the Ancestry.com database can be freely accessed until April 14, 2011. You do not have to be a paid subscriber to the Ancestry.com services to access this database. You can also access the 1860 and 1870 U. S. Federal Census free until the April 14th deadline. If you have a Civil War ancestor, this is a good place to research his service record.



Familiar Faces, Silent Voices

As I sit by the fireplace on these cold, wintry nights my mind often drifts back to earlier times.  When I close my eyes, I envision familiar faces from my youth...friends with whom I shared life's experiences in that far-away time and place known as "home." 

Here, I would like to pause and remember some of those friends whose faces are still so familiar to me, yet whose voices have been stilled by the passage of time. 

In remembrance of departed classmates, Triad High School Class of 1963:

• Otis Eugene "Gene" Burnett
• Virginia Mullin Kratky
• Cheryl Jean Crowder Evans Ground
• Marvin O. Watkins
• James "Jim" McCombs
• Larry Thomas Bahan
• Robert Kelly Loveland
• Robert Lowell "Bob" White

Hero: In Memory of Oliver P. Colwell

This year marks the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, 1861-1865.  Many battle reenactments, special events, presentations, displays, and other activities are planned during the next four years.  In "Along Spain Creek" will be found, in weeks to come, special tributes to the men of the area who took up arms in defense of the Union.

Hero:  In Memory of Oliver P. Colwell

(c) 2009 Ralph Lowell Coleman, Jr.

All Rights Reserved

Heroes are made, not born. They arise and step forward when the situation calls for someone to do something heroic in nature. Events, circumstances, and opportunities are key ingredients in these situations.

The Civil War, which tore this nation asunder during four years of unrestricted warfare, provided numerous opportunities for heroes. Men who wore blue and men who wore gray were afforded ample events, circumstances and opportunities to show their mettle. Some were fortunate enough to live to tell the tale; others were horribly maimed or died as a result of their heroism. None of them should be forgotten.

Oliver Colwell was a farmer from the close-knit community of Woodstock when he left his home and family to enlist in the Union cause. He did not set out to become a hero, but he did so just the same. During the fierce fighting which accompanied the Union drive toward Nashville, Tennessee, this young man rushed forward in the heat of battle to capture a Confederate battle flag. This selfless action particularly inspired the men of his company.

In the process he was awarded this nation’s highest decoration for bravery under fire...the Medal of Honor.

What follows is his story. Of such humble surroundings come heroes.

The name of Oliver Colwell first appears in the 1850 United States Federal Census for Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio, in the household of his mother, Lavina Colwell, age 50. It was an active household, with no less than eleven people living under one roof.

The tenants of the house were recorded by the census enumerator. In addition to Lavina and the fifteen-year-old Oliver were other sons and daughters, to include Robert R. Colwell, age 30; Fletcher Colwell, age 19; Ross Colwell, age 17; Rebecca Colwell, age 12; and Frances Colwell, age 7. There were also servants who were listed as members of the household: William Boyd, age 63; Nandy Boyd, age 49; Hannah Boyd, age 14; and Fanny Boyd, age 11.

Why his father, Peter Colwell, was not listed in the household by the enumerator, Colin McDonald, during the census survey on that warm August day is not presently known. Perhaps this mystery is best left as a story for another time.

Little else is known about Oliver’s youth, or the circumstances in which he found himself as he grew older. He was probably hardworking and industrious; most young boys his age were generally brought up to acknowledge the value of hard work and honest effort. He came from people who had learned how to work the soil, and to reap the benefits of manual labor. His Colwell ancestors had settled in the farming areas of New York and New Jersey prior to the American Revolution. They had prospered there, yet felt the compelling urge to move west to the new American frontier. Ohio in the early part of the 19th century offered virgin soil, rolling plains and hearty woodlands. There was plenty of fresh, clean water. Fish and fowl, deer, wild turkeys, and other sources of meat were abundant in the forests. There could be found the raw materials of construction for solidly-built homes, barns, and other out buildings.

So the Colwells had moved west to this new frontier, settling first in the area of present-day Franklin County before moving even farther west. They decided to make Champaign County their home, and planted their family roots in and around Urbana. Restlessness compelled some of them to move yet again, to the areas around Woodstock and Mechanicsburg. Here, they tilled the soil, planted the crops, and adapted to the lifestyle which was to be expected of hard-working farmers. Here Oliver became a man.

Oliver was still a relatively young man when he left the stability of his family home to marry. He had fallen in love with, and courted, an attractive young woman, Martha J. Corbet, who was the daughter of Amasa Corbet, one of the area’s prominent farmers. They were married in Urbana on September 20, 1857, in a short service conducted by S. G. Smith, Justice of the Peace.

At the time of the marriage, Martha’s father Amasa was about 51 years of age, presiding over a household of at least nine people. He was born in New York, but had migrated westward to the Ohio country. His wife, Experience, age 51, had been born in Virginia. Together the couple had seven children: John (1829), Lewis (1832), Ollie M. (1834), Martha J. (1836), Benjamin (1838), William H. (1841), Marion (1847) and Amasa (1850). The elder Corbets eventually relocated near the community of North Lewisburg and continued to prosper.

The young Oliver and Martha began their married life together, and were - over a period of time - parents of six children. Their eldest son, Charles, was born in 1856. A daughter, Flora, joined the family in 1857. A second son, William, was born in 1859. Two more daughters were to join the family—Jennie in 1860 and Mary in 1862. A third son, Frank, eventually rounded out the family in 1866.

The family made their home on property in Rush Township, Champaign County, which was adjacent to land owned by Abram Colwell—Oliver’s grandfather—according to a township plat map of 1874. This plot of land consisted of 63.5 acres of ground, and was located near the southern boundary of the township.

The whole country was aflame with bitter conflict as geographic regions were pitted one against another over the issues of the day. Even the quiet community of Woodstock and the surrounding Rush Township was divided on the issues of slavery and states’ rights.

Oliver Colwell was opposed to the expansion of slavery into the new territories of the West, and had seen firsthand the problems which involuntary servitude created for slaves. In April 1861 the controversy erupted into full-fledged war between the states which composed the Union, and those of the Confederacy. The war did not go well during that first year for the Union forces. What was at first thought to be a short struggle before the wayward Southern states were “whipped” back into the Union became something much more demanding. Resources were needed to fight the war...men, ammunition, foodstuffs, and other supplies. The call went out on a regular basis for more men to wage the war.

Oliver was undoubtedly a pro-Union man. He soon made his way to Columbus, Ohio, where he volunteered for enlistment as a Second Lieutenant in Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, on July 21, 1862. With little training to prepare them, he and the other men in his unit marched off to camp.

He received his official commission as a Second Lieutenant on August 19, 1862. Just a short time later, the unit was on the march toward Richmond, Kentucky. There Oliver and his comrades were exposed to the full fury of war; many of the men were wounded or killed outright. Most of the unit was captured by the Confederate forces in the lopsided battle. But prisoners were hard to maintain—to feed and to shelter—while engaging in war, so the captured men were soon paroled and exchanged for Confederates who had likewise been captured in battle.

Oliver was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant on December 5, 1862. He continued to serve with distinction and valor as Company G, 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, moved across the landscape and engaged the enemy in pitched battles over the next two years.

During the struggle around Nashville, Tennessee, in December 1864, the brave Captain moved forward under harsh enemy fire and captured one of the opposing unit’s flags. He was cited in dispatches, and eventually awarded the Medal of Honor for his exploits.

He was promoted to full Captain on February 27, 1865.

He was mustered out of the service on August 14, 1865, after more than three years of selfless service, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Oliver P. Colwell, hero of the Civil War and resident of Woodstock, Champaign County, Ohio, died on October 12, 1872, at the age of 40 years 1 month and 12 days.  He is buried in a plot of ground, part of the oldest part of Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock, Rush Township.   His grave site, surrounded by those of other family members, is marked with inscribed memorials.